Fire & Ashes
by Prinzessin
Summary: He died, but death isn’t always permanent. The Crow- Torchwood style. Jack/Ianto WARNING: Character Death
1. Prologue: When Legends Are True

**Title: **Fire and Ashes**  
Summary: **He died, but death isn't always permanent. The Crow- Torchwood style. Jack/Ianto WARNING: Character Death**  
Disclaimer: **Torchwood belongs to Russell T Davies and the BBC. The Crow belongs to James O'Barr. I'm making no money off this endeavor, though if anyone wants to send me brownies, I'd greatly appreciate them.**  
A/N:** Set anytime between episodes 1 and 4 of season 2 and then goes AU. I'm putting this out to test the waters and see how it is received. This story combines my favorite movie with one of my favorite TV shows. Please review and let me know what you think.

_People once believed that when someone dies, a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that soul back to put the wrong things right._

-Sarah (The Crow, 2004)

Prologue: When Legends Are True

One year. It had been still and silent for almost one year. One year since he and Shelley were murdered, since they were buried side-by-side.

The sudden intake of breath was shocking enough. The first thing he registered was darkness, and so he felt around. He was lying down, but he couldn't stretch his arms up. He was closely surrounded by satiny hardness.

He screamed. And he kept screaming. Then he managed to push the cover out of his way, and slowly, very slowly, he clawed his way out of his own grave. Crying and gasping in the mud as the rain poured down around him, he looked at the tuxedo that was supposed to be for his wedding. Turning back, his eyes fell on the headstone that belonged to the grave next to his eyes.

"Shelley…" he whispered, his throat thick and voice hoarse.

Then his eyes flickered to his own headstone. The wet marble simply read **Eric Draven**. He wasn't the first to be brought back by a crow to set the wrong things right. Nor would he be the last.


	2. The Last Night

**Disclaimer: **Torchwood belongs to Russell T Davies and the BBC. The Crow belongs to James O'Barr. I'm making no money off this endeavor, though if anyone wants to send me brownies, I'd greatly appreciate them.**  
**--

Chapter 1: The Last Night

Owen, Gwen and Tosh were all at their respective workstations, contentedly sipping their fresh mugs of Ianto's coffee. And Ianto was headed to Jack's office to deliver the coffee to the Captain. Inside, he found Jack hunched over a file, but knew the Captain wasn't reading. He knew that Jack wasn't seeing or even thinking about the file in front of him.

"Perfect timing," Jack suddenly gushed, snapping his head up. He turned to look at Ianto, standing a few feet from the desk.

"My timing is always perfect," Ianto grinned, swiftly crossing the room and depositing Jack's coffee in front of him.

Jack took a slow sip, closed his eyes and took a moment to savor the hot liquid. Swallowing, he opened his eyes and looked at Ianto.

"What's the occasion?" Jack finally asked, not hiding the fact that he'd just looked Ianto up and down.

"Sir?" Ianto counter-asked, genuinely curious.

"You are looking absolutely edible in that suit, which by the way, I'd like to peel you out of…"

"Careful, sir…" Ianto chimed in with a roll of the eyes.

"Ah, yes, the handbook. I guess I am sexually harassing you again, aren't I?"

"It takes all the fun out of it when you say it," Ianto smiled, sitting on the edge of Jack's desk.

"Come here, and I'll show you sexual harassment," Jack growled, and as Ianto leaned down, Jack grabbed him by the back of the head and brought him down faster.

Their lips met in a searing kiss, both battling for dominance as hands roamed over clothes. Eventually the kiss was broken, both man panting and lightheaded. Grinning, Ianto stood up, straightened his suit, and left the office, leaving Jack to watch him walk out with pleasure.

It wasn't until 7pm that Jack strode out of his office and announced that everyone was free to go. And by everyone, he meant everyone but Ianto.

"I'm not one to argue," Owen said with his jacket already on and bag slung over his shoulder, "You three coming?"

"Right behind you," Gwen answered, looked expectedly between Tosh and Ianto.

"Me too," Tosh added.

"I've got some… things… to do here. I'll be along later," Ianto finally said, avoiding Jack's barely contained heated gaze.

"Workaholic," Owen muttered, just before the cog door rolled open.

Owen led Gwen and Tosh out, and once the door closed behind them, Jack was down the stairs. And Ianto had barely enough time to turn around before Jack swooped in and pressed his lips against Ianto's. And unlike their earlier kiss, this one was slow, two bodies pressed against one another, hands gripping and never wanting to let go. But they had to part, and Ianto nipped Jack's lower lip as he was pulling back.

Ianto grinned cheekily, and all Jack could do was lean down and lick, suck and nip along the younger man's carotid, feeling Ianto's heart race beneath his lips.

"Jack," Ianto breathed, turning his head to capture Jack's lips.

Clothes were shed and they managed to make it back into Jack's office before losing all their clothes in the midst of kisses and gropes. It could've been minutes, but it felt like hours before both of them passed out onto Jack's bed in exhaustion.

It wasn't much later when Ianto woke up, having to blink a few times to clear his head. The sheet was knotted around his and Jack's legs, leaving a mess of fabric and limbs. It took some doing, but he managed to untangle himself. The lack of warmth immediately woke Jack from his lazy slumber.

"Yan?" he slurred.

"Cleaning up, I suggest you do the same if you want to sleep in that bed," Ianto answered from the bathroom.

A muffled groan followed, and as expected, Jack was right behind him a few seconds later. Arms snaked around his waist, and Ianto watched in the mirror as Jack rested his chin on the Welshman's shoulder. Ianto brought his hand up, placing it on the side of Jack's face. Jack turned to kiss Ianto's palm, and Ianto turned in Jack's arms. This kiss was soft, not heated or wanton like the others. And Ianto relished the tenderness when he could get it, soaking it in as much as he could.

Freshly cleaned up, they returned to the bed, where they squeezed in and enjoyed all the warmth and closeness that the other had to offer.

Morning came, and both were up and back at work by the time the others came in. It was a slow day, the one call-out easily handled by Jack and Gwen alone. So when Ianto offered to go out and grab lunch for everyone, everyone just gave him their orders. Slipping into his overcoat, Ianto exited through the cog door, pausing in the tourist office to straighten the postcards and walked out into the brisk Cardiff air. The sun was shining high in the sky, a cool wind kept people honest as long as it was light. But darkness hid in the shadows, and it lazily trailed the huddled Welshman.

Jack Harkness would pay. And he would pay with his heart.


End file.
